The new Center Stage selfie camera is one of the best features of Apple’s iPhone 17 series — but why settle for 18MP snaps when 48MP selfies are possible?
That’s the question posed by Kickstarter case brand Dockcase, whose latest offering, the Selfix case, adds a touchscreen to the back of your iPhone 17 Pro for seamless, main camera-quality selfies.
The Selfix case features a Camera Control cutout which, when pressed, activates both the rear touchscreen and the iPhone camera via USB-C, giving you access to Apple’s full suite of rear camera features in a front-facing orientation: the 48MP main lens, 48MP ultra-wide lens, Night Mode, Portrait Mode — the works.
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And if that’s not good enough, the Selfix case also features a microSD card slot supporting up to 2TB, making it a smart alternative to bulky (and expensive) external USB-C drives, even if you’re not a keen selfie snapper.
Dockcase sent me a sample to try for the iPhone 17 Pro, and while it’s definitely a hefty piece of kit — it effectively doubles the thickness of your iPhone — it does work exactly as described. The rear touchscreen makes it easy to frame up 48MP snaps, and you can navigate your phone as normal from behind with minimal lag (though you do have to switch on AssistiveTouch in the Accessibility settings menu, since the case is considered an adaptive accessory).
Beyond that setting, though, Dockcase doesn’t ask you to download any apps or sit through a complicated setup process, which makes the Selfix case easy enough to use straight out of the box.
As above, I definitely have reservations about the size of the case, and while it features a built-in magnetic ring around the screen for MagSafe grips and mounts, it’s not compatible with wireless charging accessories. That makes it, for me, a tough sell in practical terms, but having access to 4K/120fps ProRes video in a front-facing capacity might appeal to creators.
The Selfix case also addresses a problem that was perhaps more prevalent in the iPhone 16 Pro and older iPhones than it is in the iPhone 17 Pro. Apple’s new Center Stage camera features automatic subject framing and gives you the ability to switch between portrait and landscape orientations without physically turning your iPhone. It’s leagues ahead of previous iPhone selfie cameras, and I haven’t found myself wishing for a bigger front-facing sensor in my time with either the iPhone 17 Pro or iPhone Air.
The selfies I’ve been able to capture with the Selfix case are more detailed than those I’d get with the standard 18MP sensor, sure, but not to the extent that I’d sacrifice the portability of my iPhone in its naked state, nor my ability to charge wirelessly.
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Still, if the Selfix case calls to you, it’s available for the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max in three colors: Satin White, Morganite Pink, and Onyx Black. Pricing starts at $79 (around £60 / AU$110) for early backers.
Dockcase’s Kickstarter campaign for the Selfix case has only just gone live, and like all Kickstarter projects, buyers may encounter unpredictable delays or design compromises, so exercise caution. Mind you, we have covered previous Dockcase products in the past, and my unit works as described.
If you’re in the market for a more traditional iPhone case, check out our roundup of the best iPhone 17 cases.
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axel.metz@futurenet.com (Axel Metz)
